TheCardBardShop

Magical Custom Cards and Portraits featuring your pets!

Vancouver, Washington On Etsy since 2017

142 Sales | 5 out of 5 stars

Buyers are raving!

This shop got multiple 5-star reviews in the past 7 days.

TheCardBardShop

Magical Custom Cards and Portraits featuring your pets!

Vancouver, Washington | 142 Sales

5 out of 5 stars

Shop owner

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Announcement    The Card Bard Shop will take your pet photos and transform them into quality custom holiday cards that will amaze your friends and family! Skillful Photoshop techniques and heaps of imagination turn boring greeting cards into family treasures that will be cherished forever. Order over sixty cards, and receive a free 8x10 print of your card.
Most of our cards will be ready to ship in less than three days after we receive your photos, order and inscription. Please send your photos in advance of placing your order to make sure they are of print quality. Want to know exactly how long it will take? Just send us your photos and card choice and we can tell you!

Questions? See our FAQs or click on the Ask question link and we will answer them.

Announcement

Last updated on Dec 1, 2020

The Card Bard Shop will take your pet photos and transform them into quality custom holiday cards that will amaze your friends and family! Skillful Photoshop techniques and heaps of imagination turn boring greeting cards into family treasures that will be cherished forever. Order over sixty cards, and receive a free 8x10 print of your card.
Most of our cards will be ready to ship in less than three days after we receive your photos, order and inscription. Please send your photos in advance of placing your order to make sure they are of print quality. Want to know exactly how long it will take? Just send us your photos and card choice and we can tell you!

Questions? See our FAQs or click on the Ask question link and we will answer them.

Items

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Contact shop owner
142 Sales
41 Admirers
 
Cheri

Contact shop owner

Cheri

Reviews

Average item review
5 out of 5 stars
(69)
See reviews that mention:
quality 7 shipping 13 customer service 19

About TheCardBardShop

Sales 142
On Etsy since 2017
Video summary: Ajax is in charge of morale here at the Card Bard. To that end, he will often serenade us. A retro guy, he is fond of Willie Nelson and Creedence Clearwater Revival. But there is one song that he can never let pass by. Any time he hears this sentimental classic, he just has to throw his head back and lament poor Puff.

Although we are new to Etsy, we have been in business creating custom cards under the name The Card Bard for over ten years now. We would like to thank all our loyal customers who patiently supported us when, during our busiest season last year, a website failure forced us to make the sudden transition to Etsy. We have throughly enjoyed sharing your family photos, felt your pain when losing a beloved pet, your happiness when welcoming a new one to the family, and have loved watching your children grow up. If you should have any problems ordering with this site, or have any questions, please contact us either with the “Ask Question” function on this site, or by any previous email or phone contact you have for us. All of them will work.

Shop members

  • Cheri Moland

    Owner And Designer

    I’m a photographer, graphic designer, and pet parent. It’s amazing fun making your fuzzy family members into “superstars” and I appreciate the opportunity to make those special days of the year a little brighter for you, your family, and friends.

Shop policies

More information

Last updated on Sep 18, 2020
Frequently asked questions
Do your cards fold or are they like a post card? How big are they?

Our cards are the traditional folding style with the inscription on the inside. They are a roomy 5.5” X 8.5”, which conveniently, is the largest size you can mail in the U.S. without adding extra postage.

What kind of photos work best for your cards?

The best pose for most of our cards can be taken from in front of the pet, at his/hers eye level (as opposed from your eye level looking down at the pet on the floor) with the pet in a sitting, standing or upright laying position. Some cards just require a head shot, but most need a shot of all or most of the pet’s body. You can either get down on the floor to take the picture or photograph them while they are sitting on elevated, such as a couch, chair, deck, etc. The best lighting is usually outdoors on bright overcast days or in open shade. Avoid harsh sunlight, however, as it will either bleach out all detail in white fur or turn dark fur to solid black. Separate photos of each pet work the best and feel free to send more than one.

Can you retouch a photo of my pet?

Yes! We routinely retouch any eye glare, remove scruffy collars or leashes that are visible, lighten eye stains, fix bad poodle hair days and can even combine head shot from one photo and a body shot from a different photo (same pet, of course) to achieve the best possible image of your fuzzy little friends. Most of the time there is no extra for this, but contact us prior to placing your order if you have any questions or concerns.

Will cell phone (or tablet) photos work for your cards?

Yes! Here are some guidelines to help you achieve the best results:



Clean your lens before taking photos.



If there is a setting for HDR, make sure it says "HDR On".



DO NOT USE THE ZOOM FUNCTION.  On cell phones and tablets, this merely crops the photo in the device, making it smaller.  Instead, move in as closer.

Please do not use the portrait mode on your camera phone. This renders just a small portion of the photo in focus (usually the face) and the rest will be out of focus. In order to construct a convincing composite, we need the entire pet to be in focus.



If you are sending your photos directly from your phone, when your email service gives you an option of what size image to send, always pick largest or original.

What settings should I use on my digital camera?

Set your camera to the largest image size available.

Set ASA to no higher than 400.

Use flash if necessary but turn off red eye correction. This function emits a series of flashes prior to photo and will usually make your pet look away and usually turns the pet’s eyes to black blobs. We will retouch any unwanted eye reflections and do a much better job at it.

Can I send photos take by a professional photographer?

We cannot use professional photos unless the photographer has given us permission to do so. Most are happy to do so - all we need is an email from them.

I have trouble getting my dog to pose for photos. What should I do?

For dogs, it's usually easier to enlist a helper. Have someone hold the dog on a leash in front of you and kneel down to take the photo. Don’t worry if the leash is visible, we will retouch it out. If your dog has a hard time calming down, work in several short sessions (less than ten minutes). Usually by the third one, it has become much less exciting to the pet. Be generous with treats to make it a positive experience.

If you regularly have your pet groomed, a great trick is to accompany the pet on the trip, and when the groomer is finished, snap a couple photos of the pet while they are still on the groomer’s stand. They are pretty close to eye level, they have calmed downed, the lighting is usually good, and they look nice to boot!